A method for operating a controller is provided. Program code having internal controller functions is stored on the controller, the program code being equipped with at least one service function. A service configuration for the at least one service function is provided on the controller. The method includes; detecting, in the controller, the service configuration; and executing a service functionality in accordance with the service configuration when the at least one service function is invoked. The service configuration denotes at least one internal controller function which is executed as a service functionality of the corresponding at least one service function. The at least one service function, via the service configuration, provides at least one value for at least one argument of the at least one internal controller function in the controller and/or receives at least one return value of the at least one internal controller function.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for operating a controller, wherein program code having internal controller functions is stored on the controller, wherein the program code is equipped with at least one service function, and wherein a service configuration for the at least one service function is provided on the controller, wherein the method comprises: detecting, in the controller, the service configuration; and executing, by the controller, a service functionality in accordance with the service configuration when the at least one service function is invoked; wherein the service configuration denotes at least one internal controller function which is executed as a service functionality of the at least one service function; wherein the at least one service function, via the service configuration, provides at least one value for at least one argument of the at least one internal controller function in the controller and/or receives at least one return value of the at least one internal controller function; wherein the controller is connected to an influencing device via an interface, and the controller transfers the at least one return value of the at least one internal controller function to the influencing device via the interface, and/or the influencing device reads out the return value of the at least one internal controller function from the controller via the interface.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein executable code is contained in the service configuration, wherein the executable code facilitates providing the at least one value for the at least one argument of the at least one internal controller function in the controller and/or receiving the at least one return value of the internal controller function.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one service function is set up to invoke functions having predetermined patterns of arguments and/or return values, wherein the service configuration denotes the at least one internal controller function by specifying the predetermined pattern and by specifying the start address of the at least one internal controller function.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the service configuration is transferred from the influencing device to the controller via the interface and is saved on the controller.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one memory location is specified in the service configuration, wherein the at least one value for the at least one argument of the at least one internal controller function is stored in the at least one memory location and/or wherein at least one return value of the at least one internal controller function is stored in the at least one memory location.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein a respective memory location for respective argument of the at least one internal controller function is monitored, and the at least one internal controller function is invoked with the value for the respective argument stored in the respective memory location based on an actual value for the argument having been written to the respective memory location.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein program code having at least one influencing device function is stored in the influencing device; and wherein the service configuration comprises the invocation of an influencing device function and, when the at least one service function is invoked, the controller signals the invocation of the influencing device function to the influencing device via the interface and the influencing device executes the influencing device function.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein a memory location in the controller is specified in the service configuration, wherein a value for an argument of the influencing device function is stored in the memory location in the controller and/or a return value of the influencing device function is stored in the memory location in the controller.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the memory location for the argument of the influencing device function is monitored by the influencing device via the interface, and the influencing device function is invoked with the value for the argument stored in the memory location based on an actual value for the argument having been written to the memory location.
10. A controller for external bypassing, the controller being connected to a technical process via an I/O interface, wherein the controller comprises a one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums with program code stored thereon, the program code having internal controller functions, and the program code being equipped with at least one service function, wherein execution of the program code facilitates performance of the following: outputting control signals to the technical process via the I/O interface and receiving state variables of the technical process as signals via the I/O interface; detecting a service configuration for the at least one service function during operation of the controller; and executing a service functionality in accordance with the service configuration when the at least one service function is invoked; wherein the service configuration denotes at least one internal controller function which is executed as a service functionality of the at least one service function; wherein the at least one service function, via the service configuration, provides at least one value for at least one argument of the at least one internal controller function in the controller and/or receives at least one return value of the at least one internal controller function; wherein the controller is connected to an influencing device via an interface, and wherein execution of the program code further facilitates performance of the following: bypassing one or more controller internal functions based on an input received from the influencing device via the interface; receiving an argument from the influencing device via the interface for use by an internal controller function; and/or providing a return value from an internal controller function to the influencing device via the interface.
11. A method for operating a controller, wherein program code having internal controller functions is stored on the controller, wherein the program code is equipped with at least one service function, and wherein a service configuration for the at least one service function is provided on the controller, wherein the method comprises: detecting, in the controller, the service configuration; and executing, by the controller, a service functionality in accordance with the service configuration when the at least one service function is invoked; wherein the service configuration denotes at least one internal controller function which is executed as a service functionality of the at least one service function; wherein the at least one service function, via the service configuration, provides at least one value for at least one argument of the at least one internal controller function in the controller and/or receives at least one return value of the at least one internal controller function; wherein the controller is connected to an influencing device via an interface, and wherein the method further comprises: bypassing, by the controller, one or more controller internal functions based on an input received from the influencing device via the interface.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one service function is set up to invoke functions having predetermined patterns of arguments and/or return values, wherein the service configuration denotes the at least one internal controller function by specifying the predetermined pattern and by specifying the start address of the at least one internal controller function.
13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein program code having at least one influencing device function is stored in the influencing device; wherein the service configuration comprises the invocation of an influencing device function and, when the at least one service function is invoked, the controller signals the invocation of the influencing device function to the influencing device via the interface and the influencing device executes the influencing device function.
14. A method for operating a controller, wherein program code having internal controller functions is stored on the controller, wherein the program code is equipped with at least one service function, and wherein a service configuration for the at least one service function is provided on the controller, wherein the method comprises: detecting, in the controller, the service configuration; and executing, by the controller, a service functionality in accordance with the service configuration when the at least one service function is invoked; wherein the service configuration denotes at least one internal controller function which is executed as a service functionality of the at least one service function; wherein the at least one service function, via the service configuration, provides at least one value for at least one argument of the at least one internal controller function in the controller and/or receives at least one return value of the at least one internal controller function; wherein the controller is connected to an influencing device via an interface, and wherein the method further comprises: receiving an argument from the influencing device via the interface for use by an internal controller function.
15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one service function is set up to invoke functions having predetermined patterns of arguments and/or return values, wherein the service configuration denotes the at least one internal controller function by specifying the predetermined pattern and by specifying the start address of the at least one internal controller function.
16. The method according to claim 11 , wherein program code having at least one influencing device function is stored in the influencing device; wherein the service configuration comprises the invocation of an influencing device function and, when the at least one service function is invoked, the controller signals the invocation of the influencing device function to the influencing device via the interface and the influencing device executes the influencing device function.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
August 11, 2016
June 16, 2020
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